


Promise

by Dalankar



Category: Super Junior
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-29
Updated: 2014-12-29
Packaged: 2018-03-04 04:29:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2938151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dalankar/pseuds/Dalankar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Donghae makes everyone worry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Promise

"I wish I could just-" Hyukjae stops himself from finishing the sentence.

_I wish I could just keep you safe._

Donghae, head already turned towards Hyukjae on the bed, opens his eyes. There is a saline drip set up by their manager on the other side of the bed, the needle taped securely to the back of his left hand and the liquid already halfway into Donghae.

Siwon had messaged him an hour earlier.

_Hyung, Donghae hyung fainted._

Hyukjae had abandoned dinner to drive back to the dorms in record time.

"He's just dehydrated," was what the manager had said, already on his way out as Hyukjae rushed in.

Yeah, Hyukjae knows. Donghae's schedule has been incredibly hectic in the last month and given this has happened twice this year already, Hyukjae should have taken more care.

Donghae had opened tired eyes when he had come in, wordlessly wrapped warm fingers around Hyukjae's hand and closed them again.

And Hyukjae has been sitting here feeling like he's failed at something precious that has been entrusted to him.

"Will you go back?" Donghae asks softly, watching Hyukjae with half-lidded eyes.

"Home?"

Donghae's fingers tighten around his' in response.

"I'll ask noona to bring my suit," he says, "Let's go together."

Sungmin hyung is getting married tomorrow. Hyukjae doubts it will sink in even when he is there at the Raum watching his old friend slip a ring on his beloved's finger. Marriage is something Hyukjae has always pushed out of his mind.

"Do you think hyung is nervous?" Donghae asks curiously.

"Probably. But he'll be really happy too."

Donghae smiles. "I bet he's practising his vows."

Hyukjae rubs the skin over Donghae's wrist with a thumb. "I bet he knows them better than our songs by now."

Hyukjae smiles when Donghae laughs and spends a moment just watching him. All the familiar things about Donghae, things that he has come to memorise through all the years they've known each other. Things he knows better than their songs.

He's had the time to figure out how Donghae's head works by now. How he would smile even when he is tired and sick because he doesn't want to disappoint people. Because he thinks they would hate him, that they would leave him. Donghae thinks that he has to do everything, be everything that is expected of him or he will lose everything and be alone. Hyukjae knows nothing Donghae hates more than loneliness.

Hyukjae has endeavoured over the years to never let Donghae feel that way, to let him know it’s okay to get sick, to be tired and not want to smile all the time. But as much as he's tried, here he is by Donghae's bedside because he couldn't keep him from exhausting himself.

"Donghae-yah," he starts, transferring himself onto the bed, Donghae's hand held securely between both of his'. Donghae looks at him with warm eyes, which in Hyukjae's subjective opinion, are the most beautiful eyes on any human that god has ever graced the earth with. "Let's disappear for a little while, Lee Donghae."

Donghae blinks. "Like Switzerland?" He asks slowly.

Hyukjae shakes his head. "Nope. Just the two of us. No Jungsu hyung. No managers. No cameras. Just you and me."

Donghae stares at him. "What about-"

Hyukjae leans forward. "I'll take care of everything. I'll move things around so we get the time. Donghae, just say yes."

It takes a moment but slowly, like clouds parting to reveal the sun, Donghae's smile grows until it lights up his whole face.

"Really?"

Hyukjae leans up, fingers sinking into Donghae's silky black hair.

"Yes."

Donghae laughs and throws his arms around him, making the saline holder topple over onto them. They're both laughing about it when Kyuhyun comes in, followed by Ryeowook, Heechul cradling Heebum in his arms, and Siwon.

"I thought someone was getting murdered," Heechul comments, looking around the room as though searching for the bloody evidence.

"Here you go, hyung," Ryeowook hands him a bowl of what looks like his homemade ramen. Hyukjae accepts it with grateful hands, his stomach suddenly making him aware that he's barely had any dinner. Kyuhyun hands Donghae his own bowl as Heechul releases a squirming Heebum to accept a bowl from Siwon.

They all settle around the room, Kyuhyun and Heechul sitting on the bed, Siwon settling on Donghae's table while Ryeowook sinks into the chair by the window, and have dinner, immersing themselves in the deliciousness of Ryeowook's homemade ramen.

Hyukjae looks around at them, his heart filling with so much warmth. He doesn't know if they know how much it means for Donghae to have them all here. But by the way Kyuhyun glances up at Donghae from time to time, and the way Heechul meets his eyes with a soft smile, Hyukjae understands that they do. That Siwon must have somehow induced Ryeowook to make dinner and Kyuhyun, who is in the middle of his solo promotions, would have gone to pull Heechul away from whatever new addiction he would have found online.

Hyukjae smiles. There isn't a day that he doesn't thank his lucky stars for letting him be a part of this group, for letting them love him as much as he loves them.

"I'm taking bets about Sungmin crying at the wedding," Heechul suddenly announces, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Hyung!" Siwon cries, scandalised. But Kyuhyun smiles, sets his empty bowl on the bedside table and sits back with Donghae. "Donghae hyung and I bet that Sungmin hyung will definitely cry."

Donghae splutters and nearly chokes on his dinner. "Kyu!"

"He won't," Ryeowook says confidently as Kyuhyun pats Donghae on the back until he recovers.

"I agree with Wook," Hyukjae admits, relying on his more than a decade of knowledge about Sungmin. "Sungmin hyung is definitely not going to cry."

Ryeowook nods. "He's just not the crying kind of person."

Heechul looks expectantly at Siwon who widens his eyes. "Hyung, I really don't-"

"Stop being a stick in the mud, Choi Siwon," Heechul admonishes. "Don't you know you get points for participation?"

Siwon frowns, and as everyone continues to stare at him, sighs wearily.

"Okay, okay. I think-" he bites his lip thoughtfully, "-he will cry."

Heechul laughs triumphantly as the Kyuhyun and Donghae team hi-five victoriously while Hyukjae and Ryeowook roll their eyes simultaneously.

"What about you, hyung?" Donghae asks, "What do you think?"

"Of course he won't cry. He's not you, Donghae," Heechul answers easily as Donghae cries out in protest.

There is a moment then, silence descending as they all feel the weight of the day that is to come.

"I guess we're finally growing up," Heechul admits softly. Hyukjae smiles at him as Ryeowook begins to collect everyone's bowls.

"I'm pretty sure, hyung-" he says, pausing at the door, "-some of us will never grow up." And runs away when Heechul jumps to his feet with a cry of outrage and chases him out of the room.

Siwon leaves them with an "I'll come pick you up tomorrow," and Kyuhyun follows after him with a stern, "You better go to sleep right now, hyung," aimed at Donghae who nods earnestly.

 

"I don't mind," Donghae tells him later when the saline drip had come off Donghae's hand and they are curled up together on Donghae's bed.

Hyukjae opens his eyes wider to see him in the dark. "What?"

Donghae kisses him softly on the lips. "Not growing up."  

Hyukjae lies breathlessly still for a moment. Then he moves forward, tangling their legs and arms together until they are one living breathing entity. He feels the huff of breath that Donghae releases in surprise on his face.

The only person Donghae ever lets see him down to the bare dreams that sustain him, the fears that threaten him, and the hopes that keep him adrift. Hyukjae knows that it is him. It is still, unwaveringly him. Hyukjae has always, always been in love with this beautiful, smiling boy.

"Donghae-yah," he says softly, "Let's always stay together, no matter what."

 

***

**Author's Note:**

> Happy holidays to everyone ^_^


End file.
